South Island Adrenaline Junkie

The jet-boat was invented by Bill Hamilton, a kiwi fascinated with the best way to speed across water, and his invention is now used all over the world including the Ganges, Amazon, Congo, Mekong and Yangtze Rivers. The beauty of jet-boating the Buller River is that there’s only one commercial boat in the canyon so it’s just you coming within seven inches of 450-million-year-old massive rock faces. In a V8 Chevy boat, you fly at 85 kmph down boulder-crowded rapids with pink granite sheer sides and spinning by a magnificent horseshoe waterfall. The heated handrails are a nice touch.

The South Island has many white water rivers racing for the ocean and the Buller Gorge is ideal for beginners or intermediate rafting. The less known Karamea River is a white-knuckled grade five requiring serious paddling to face rapids called Holy Sh*t, Roaring Lion and Scarecase. You’ll need at least three days and can hike in if budget doesn’t allow for a helicopter. Either way you’re heading into pristine, underdeveloped Kahurangi National Park wilderness with no huts or people. It’s just you taking on drops, chutes and holes in jaw clenching, remote and rugged terrain.

There are more rocks and crags to climb in Canterbury than any other region, so this is the place to get your karabiners out. While Hanging Rock on the way to Timaru sounds dangerously good and Port Hills is handy, the best is Castle Hill Basin on the way to Arthur’s Pass. Packed full of massive limestone boulders it looks like Stonehenge’s stunted extended family have crashed and smashed into one spot. With 250 climbs across nine different climbing areas graded between 10 and 31, it will channel your inner Gaston.

If Castle Hill’s crowded, head to Flock Hill* along the road. * Must get permission from the farmer prior to entering the property, Nick Kirk on (03) 318 8195.

If there’s one mountain to sidle up then Mt Cook is it. Aoraki means ‘cloud piercer’ in Maori and being the highest mountain it often does just that. It’s possible to fly to Mueller Hut, at 1800 metres, but hiking is a full mind and body experience. The walk is only 5.2 kms but most of it is straight up and once there the mountains will silence you into awe. The best part is falling asleep to the sound of glaciers moving, rock and ice falling and if you’re lucky, the toe curling sound of an avalanche cascading safely below. Like all mountains the weather is moody, be prepared.

The hair-raising part of skydiving is the free-fall, where you feel the pull of gravity as you plummet to the earth below at 200 kmph reaching terminal velocity before that chute opens. It’s a rush to all the senses, blows your cheeks inwards and rips your face into an impossible grin. Jumping out of a plane in Wanaka at 15,000 feet is ridiculously picturesque with 360 views of the rugged Southern Alps, snaking Clutha River, inching glaciers, and six lakes including the mighty Lake Wanaka below. Plus it has the most reliable weather conditions. The natural high from the adrenaline rush stays with you all day.

The moment you see Lake Wanaka with its crystal clear water you want to get in it, whether on a paddle board, kayak, with fins, or flying behind a boat on a wakeboard. For beginners, a coach talks to you through a headset from the boat which speeds up your learning. And for pro’s you can jump right into carving up the lake, gnarly spins, turns and flips. There’s a choice of one, two, four or eight hours on the lake, with a variety of toys from boards, surfboards, skates, skis or anything inflatable they’ve got on hand.

Nothing beats fresh powder in the South Island and all four ski fields in Queenstown/Wanaka are jaw dropping: Coronet Peak, Treble Cone, Cardrona and The Remarkables. Treble Cone, near Wanaka, has the highest vertical rise and nearly half the tracks are advanced—great for speed junkies wanting to get away from beginners or families and thunder down black runs. From Queenstown’s side, night skiing up Coronet Peak is exhilarating and only 20 minutes from town. The trails are lit with floodlights and the bar stays open so the party starts under the stars and continues down town after 9pm.